Seed Academy

Build. Grow. Thrive.

Igniting women and youth entrepreneurs to unlock economic growth and lead high-growth businesses 

Seed Academy - GE Green Circle
Our Purpose Seed Academy

Our Purpose

Seed Academy is creating a new narrative for entrepreneurship in South Africa where women and youth entrepreneurs are builders & leaders of high-growth businesses that positively impact the economy and uplift communities.

We are proudly level 2 BEE, and black women-owned through WBDIH. As a child of South Africa’s first ICT accelerator, we have a 9-year track record in entrepreneur development. To date, we have worked with over 900 entrepreneurs who have gone on to seed 2400 jobs, which are documented in our growing library of case studies that demonstrate the real-world impact of our interventions.

That’s the kind of change we believe South Africa needs. Our solutions create business impact for entrepreneurs and ROI for the corporates who support them, grounded in the belief that this symbiosis is the growth engine our country needs. 

Why we’re different

We know that many women and youth turn to entrepreneurship out of necessity. And sadly, they often lack the business skills to grow and scale on their own. Seed Academy bridges that gap with a proven methodology that’s backed by measurable results. Unlike many entrepreneur development programmes, our approach harmonizes technical skills and personal development within a holistic, multi-faceted experience.

Being a successful entrepreneur isn’t just about knowing how a business is run, it’s also about knowing how to be a businessperson. For women in particular, that means knowing how to navigate male-dominated spaces and overcome cultural, societal, psychosocial and internal barriers.

For us, the process doesn’t end when an entrepreneur completes a programme. We provide 1 year of post-programme support and once an entrepreneur is part of our community, they have access to peer-to-peer support and networking that enable them to flourish.

Why We Are Different

Seed Interventions

Beyond the scorecard.

Why Seed?

Winning entrepreneurs need technical business skills. But we understand that they need even more than that. We believe that a holistic approach that includes nurturing and mentorship is what really moves the dial on entrepreneur development.

By sponsoring Seed programmes, corporates get to see their investment yielding real results that strengthen individuals, communities, and South Africa as a whole.

For Woman & Youth Entrepreneurs
Become part of a community of entrepreneurs
Gain access to a network of industry entrepreneurs, technical specialists and mentors & coaches
Tap into a pool of specialist service providers in vital areas like marketing, legal, accounting, compliance and more
Develop a robust growth strategy for your business
Build the confidence, leadership and business skills to disrupt key sectors
Address and overcome cultural and psycho-social barriers
For Transformation Champions
Change the narrative of entrepreneurship in S.A.
Create a competitive edge for your business through innovative business ideas
Create pipeline of relevant, high-growth, quality EMEs and QSEs for your supply chain who are able to deliver
Reduce dependency of suppliers on your business
Lead the way toward sustainable, equitable and inclusive growth
Realize your transformation targets with ease

Our Partners

Our networks and partnerships are steeped in entrepreneurship & women development and have a proven track-record of measurable impact

Seed Client Testimonials